With three matches left to play in their Canadian Premier League schedule, Atlético Ottawa has moved into first place in the standings.
Only the top four teams in the CPL will advance to the playoffs to compete for the North Star Shield and right now only five points sepearates the top five teams.
Ottawa was in Winnipeg on Sunday afternoon to face fifth place Valour FC. Down 1-0 in the 78th minute, midfielder Ollie Bassett lined up a corner kick for Ottawa, hoping it might lead to the tying goal.
It absolutely did, but not in a way anyone could have expected.
GOLAZO 👀
OLLIE BASSETT OLIMPICO 🚨@AtletiOttawa restore a 1-1 draw vs. @ValourFootball straight from the corner kick 😱#CanPL | 🔴 https://t.co/7JFAUhgjL6 pic.twitter.com/NeXLUtxsLU
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) September 18, 2022
Scoring directly off a corner is an ‘Olimpico’ goal, something that happens rarely in the sport. While Bassett celebrated like he meant to do it – no big thing – he later admitted that wasn’t really his game plan.
“I just tried to put it on the keeper, to get across it and get as much kind of whip on it as possible,” Bassett explained on the club’s website report. “I was kind of lucky that it went into the far post.”
Lucky or not, the 24-year-old from Northern Ireland – nicknamed “Olliewood” – helped Ottawa script a 1-1 draw in Winnipeg, nudging the club into sole possession of first place in the Canadian Premier League, one point up on Cavalry FC. Those two clubs meet head to head this Saturday in Calgary at 5:30pm eastern.
